TUESDAY, JANUARY 17, 1978
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NEED FOR MORE SELF-SUPPORTING AND NON-PROF IT-MAKING NURSERIES ******
THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY URGED VOLUNTARY WELFARE ORGANISATIONS TO SET UP MORE SELF-SUPPORTING AND NON-PROF IT-MAKING CHILD CARE CENTRES TO CATER FOR CHILDREN FROM FAMILIES WHICH CANNOT AFFORD THE HIGH FEES OF THE PRIVATE NURSERIES AND ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ADMISSION TO GOVERNMENT SUBVENTED ONES.
MR. LEE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE TUNG WAH SELF-SUPPORTING DAY NURSERY THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN HONG KONG.
HE SAID THAT WITH THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE CHILD CARE CENTRES ORDINANCE FROM JUNE 1, 1977, A DEMAND IN THIS SERVICE WAS CREATED BY THE CLOSURE OF A NUMBER OF GROSSLY SUBSTANDARD NURSERIES AND THE REDUCTION OF CAPACITY OF SOME CENTRES IN ORDER TO COMPLY WITH THE REGULATIONS.
+TO MAKE UP FOR THIS SHORTFALL, THE GOVERNMENT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE EXISTING POLICY WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUBSIDISED NURSERY PLACES AT THE RATE OF 1,000 PER YEAR, AND AT THE SAME TIME CONTINUE TO OFFER SUPPORT TO THE EXISTING SUBVENTED CHILD CARE CENTRES FOR CHILDREN COMING FROM FAMILIES WHOSE INCOME IS BELOW THE PRESCRIBED LEVEL. +
FOR CHILDREN FROM FAMILIES IN THE HIGHER INCOME BRACKET, MR. LEE SAID, THE GOVERNMENT ENCOURAGED VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS TO SET UP NON-SUBVENTED, NON-PROFIT-MAKING AND SELF-SUPPORTING NURSERIES WITH GRANTS FROM THE LOTTERIES FUND ONLY TO COVER INITIAL CAPITAL COST.
+THESE NURSERIES WILL RELY ON FEES PAID BY PARENTS TO MEET THE RUNNING COST. +
TURNING TO THE 101 SUBVENTED CHILD CARE CENTRES RUN BY VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS, MR. LEE SAID THAT $17 MILLION OF SOCIAL WELFARE SUBVENTION HAD BEEN EARMARKED FOR FINANCING THEIR OPERATION
IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.
+MOREOVER, AN ESTIMATED $1.65 MILLION FROM THE LOTTERIES FUND HAS ALSO BEEN EARMARKED FOR THE NON-RECURRENT EXPENDITURE OF THESE CENTRES. IN OTHER WORDS, MORE THAN $18 MILLION WILL BE SPENT THIS YEAR TO SUPPORT ABOUT 10,300 SUBVENTED NURSERY PLACES, OR AN AVERAGE OF $150 PER CHILD PER MONTH.+
THIS SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF PUBLIC FUNDS, MR. LEE NOTED, WAS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO AID THOSE FAMILIES WHO WERE IN NEED OF CHILD CARE SERVICE BUT COULD NOT AFFORD THE HIGH FEES IN PRIVATE NURSERIES.
+HOWEVER, AS EXPERIENCE REVEALS, A NUMBER OF CHILDREN CURRENTLY OCCUPYING SUBVENTED PLACES COME FROM FAMILIES WITH INCOME LEVEL HIGHER THAN THE SET CRITERIA.
/+IN ORDER TO ENSURE
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